Starting Hard
by StarofAzura
Summary: Tiffany is embarking on her first journey as a pokemon trainer, but her reasons are not like most. She's doing it for love. Desperate for the approval of a lost lover, she seeks to become a proficient battler and trainer.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone. This is my first ever fanfiction, so I know it's not the greatest.

Please keep that in mind while reading.

**CHAPTER ONE**

_Splash._

The freshly turned off shower nozzle was still dripping water. I was covered in a towel foraging through my closet for the perfect outfit.

Today was a big one, so I needed an outfit that would be special. What do people wear when their date is also their start to becoming a Pokemon trainer… in the forest? I needed something practical _and _sexy.

A specific tank top caught my eye. Paired with some nice jeans, my legs would be protected from thorns and bushes, but I'd show just enough skin to keep him interested.

With the outfit on, I took a look in the mirror. I smiled as I saw myself looking my best. My shoulder length brown hair wasn't looking flawless, but when is it ever? The gray tank top I chose draped off my chest in a flattering manner, and complimented my fair skin. The cut of the jeans made my short, skinny legs look just that much longer. I winked and smiled at myself. Today was going to be good.

I sat and reviewed my time with Giovanni in my head. He made his first appearance through the blurriness my tears. I had just received the phone call from America that my parents were involved in a fatal car accident. He took my hand and assured me everything was going to be alright. Every day since then we've been seeing one another. He's really made a difference.

With time, I learned he was the gym leader of Viridian City, and quite the accomplished Pokemon trainer. It was his idea to get me a Pokemon of my own.

I started out the door and headed to Viridian Forest. Anticipation struck me. I was going to see the man who helped me through my hardest time, and I was going to start a chapter in my life as a Pokemon trainer.

It was a warm day in May. The trees were showing off their newly grown leaves, and the flowers were covering the landscape. The sound of Pokemon could be heard throughout the forest.

Viridian Forest was always brimming with wild Pokemon. Many people were scared to try and trek it alone, but I found peace there. Not being a Pokemon trainer, I didn't suffer the constant trainer battles other people did, and I never irritated the forest inhabitants by trying to capture them. It was my little comfort zone.

Giovanni was waiting for me just outside the hiking path. A rush of energy overcame me the second I saw him, and I ran over to hug him. We smiled at one another and started walking.

"They say people born in Viridian Forest are given special powers," Giovanni looked over and said, "like me."

I looked at him, confused.

"You have special powers?"

He nodded. "Not just anyone can be a powerful gym leader," he said with a smile.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just _give_ me a Pokemon, Powerful Gym Leader?" I joked. "I mean it's not like you have a shortage of them."

He put his arm around me. "Oh, Tiffany. Then you lose the excitement of capturing one yourself," he said while handing me a pokeball.

I grabbed the pokeball and faked a smile. "Seriously though, most people get to start with a free Pokemon… Why do I have to be different?" I asked.

"You're 21. You shouldn't need anything but _yourself_ to get one," Giovanni said and looked around at the sky. Apparently he was trying to find something specific. Something special.

"There it is!" Giovanni shouted.

I looked up as a giant bird swept across the sky. It was golden yellow with flames sprouting from its wings and tail. A majestic mane of fire adorned its head. I watched in awe as a glowing aura followed closely behind it.

"NOW!"

I stepped back, unprepared for such a quick command.

"Go pokeball!" I yelled and threw the white and red device at the bird. I noticed it turn into a red beam of light and enter the ball.

The second the ball hit the ground, the bird broke free and focused all of its attention on me. It began shooting fire in every direction, squawking and flying carelessly. I was stabbed by sticks and rocks as I hit the ground, dodging the flames.

I could feel the heat of the fire as it darted past me. This Pokemon was trying to give me a good scare before finishing me off. There's no way I could truly outrun fire like this.

The bird stopped for a second and took in a giant breath of air. I knew something big was going to happen and clinched my fist in anticipation. Fire suddenly grew all around and started spinning in an upward motion. "This must be a fire spin," I thought to myself.

I stayed curled on the ground, other than my immense fear, the thought of Giovanni was the only thing on my mind. I prayed he was okay.

Through the top of the fire spin, I noticed something. The bird was now trapped in a complex machine, fighting against it as hard as it could and was being flown away. I sighed in relief knowing that the bird couldn't harm me… then I began to worry about it. What was to become of the creature?

As the fire spin began to die down, I noticed the forest around me was suffering. Trees were nothing but embers on a stick, and the ashes of what were once flowers speckled the ground. Terrified Pokemon flew, crawled, and ran every direction. I had to escape… but not before I found Giovanni.

Limbs engulfed in flames were falling all around me, blocking my path farther into the forest. If Giovanni was deep inside, I had no way to reach him. My home was located just outside of Viridian Forest. I had to leave now before I was completely blocked in.

It was too late. My home, the last thing I had left from my parents was already destroyed. I dropped to the ground, out of breath, and coughing from the smoke. Tears erupted from my eyes with no signs of stopping. No family, no home, no Pokemon. All I had left now was Giovanni. If he made it.

My fist started pounding the ground. The harder I hit it, the less I cried. I started to regain focus and energy and decided I would go to Viridian Gym to see if Giovanni had made it back.

The thoughts of what could have happened invaded my mind the whole way there. What if he is still trapped in the forest? What if he's hurt?

My hands shook as I reached for the gym door. I was eager to see if he was inside, but didn't want the last of my hopes destroyed if he wasn't inside.

The door was locked. Violently, I threw myself into it and fell to the ground. The bad thoughts were prominent in my mind, but I kept the hope he would return eventually.

That time finally came, and what I saw wasn't quite what I had in mind.

In formation, a large group of men in matching uniforms walked towards the gym. Behind them was the very bird I had tried to tame, tied to a platform on wheels. I questioned the barbaric nature of this Pokemon's capture, but my hope for Giovanni's safety was replenished.

I looked around at the men and smiled at any of them who glanced at me, trying to get their attention. Any time I opened my mouth about to talk, they would look away and act if I wasn't there. Anger was beginning to replace my feelings of hope and sadness. Something was going on.

After the last man entered the gym, I forced my way in before the door could be locked again. Stomping and stomping, I made my way deeper into the building looking of any sign Giovanni was still alive. Above me on a balcony a man was looking down at me, the man I was looking for.

A faint smile was drawn on my face as soon as I saw Giovanni. He was unscathed, and looked accomplished. As fast as I could, I ran those stairs to that balcony.

"Thank God you're alright!" I said to him.

He glanced at me and started grinning.

"Get the hell out of here," he commanded.

I looked around to see who he was talking to; there were men on the gym floor so I assumed it wasn't me. He should be happy to see I'm alright.

I walked up to him wrapped my arms around his chest. All the rage and anger I had stored up moments before vanished, and I was happy again.

Giovanni remained silent and still. I clenched him harder hoping he would embrace me, but instead he took my arms, and pulled them away from his body. His grin turned into a frown.

My heart sank and I could feel my body begin to tremble.

"Why are you acting like this, Giovanni?!" I choked up.

"Acting?" he said as the grin came back. "You think I'm acting?! Do you really think I wanted to help you? Me?! The leader of the Viridian gym… and the leader of Team Rocket? What would I want with a little girl like you?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This was the man that talked with me for hours when he saw me crying outside of the Viridian Forest one day. The man who kept me company every day after my parents disappeared. Why was he doing this? And how is he the leader of Team Rocket?

"You seemed to be an easy enough pawn. I was able to manipulate you quite fast," Giovanni began. "You were a great distraction for Moltres." He pulled out a photo of the bird I tried to capture. "That Pokemon, it could never be contained in a simple Pokeball, but that machine I used to capture it was brilliant. Only problem was we needed to approach Moltres from behind."

I stepped back from him, realizing everything he was saying.

"It would be best for you to leave now," Giovanni said. "I like you enough not to want to kill you."

And with that, I reluctantly left.

The fires were now dead and I felt I could safely forage through my home. Rubble was all that was left, but maybe… just maybe I could find something in there. A scavenger hunt would at least keep my occupied. I needed to try and think of things other than Giovanni. I began moving pieces of rock and plaster trying to uncover something. Anything.

Finally, my eye was drawn to something. A bit of red was standing out among all the black carbon and I ran over, trying my best not to trip on anything and get hurt.

Hidden in the ashes was a Pokeball.

"This must have belonged to one of my parents." I said to myself. None of them were trainers though. Perhaps it's empty.

I pressed the button on the ball just to see. The white beam that the ball emitted was very bright, but eventually formed a shape.

As the light faded away, a blue serpent sat there. It had wing-like feathers on its head, and small gems adorned its tail.

"Dragon Dragonair," it said to me.

I held out my hand to touch it. I slowly stroked the creature's head all the way down its back. The Pokemon and I smiled at one another. It could sense my sadness, and wrapped itself around me. In my arms, the Pokemon weeped with me.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

_Dear Diary,_

I need answers now!

These past few days without Giovanni have been almost as bad as losing my parents. I have nothing to do except sit in Viridian Forest, and hope no one tries to challenge me to a Pokemon battle. Sitting with nothing to do gives me more time to think about the things I don't really want to. Things such as: Why is the man I love the leader of a gang of criminals? How did he fool me so easily? If I beat him in a Pokemon battle will he accept me?

That was it.

Dragonair and I will become formidable opponents, then we will challenge Giovanni for a badge. If I win he will HAVE to want me back.

Am I pathetic for wanting HIM back?

Sincerely,

Me

-------------------------------------------

I opened my eyes when the first rays of sun bled through the destroyed forest trees. The sun burned them momentarily, but the pain went away as soon as they got used to the brightness. My hair was matted against my face, my clothes were covered in dirt and leaves, and I'm pretty sure I somewhat resembled Sasquatch. I needed to clean off somewhere since sleeping on a bed of leaves isn't really something that keeps a person clean.

I made my way to the Viridian Forest Lake to wash myself and my clothes.  
The water of the lake was crystal clear, and Dragonair jumped right in. I sat on the shore to debate whether or not I really wanted to do this. For some reason, I felt very uncomfortable getting naked… even if it's in the middle of the forest. Dragonair nodded her head a couple of times, inviting me to swim with her.

I stood up, and slowly started unbuttoning my jeans. As soon as all of my clothes were off, I tried my hardest to jump in but couldn't bring myself to do it. The water was too cold. I stuck the very tip of my toes in then quickly pulled them back as a chill overtook my entire body.

"Well now, what do we have here?" I heard a voice say.

_SPLASH_

I was in the pond just as quick as I heard it. Water engulfed my entire body, and I wasn't about to let it stop. My face was covered with my hands, and I held my breath for as long as my lungs could take. Being spotting like this would surely get me in trouble for indecent exposure or put me on one of those sex predator lists or something… My lungs started to burn and they were hungry for air. Eventually, I could no longer hold it, and had to breathe. As I brought my head up and gasped for air, I noticed a man standing at the bank staring at me.

"Was that _really_ necessary?" he asked.

I looked him up and down. His blond hair was shining in the sun light, and his tight green tank top displayed his toned body. To look him in his blue eyes, I had to tilt my head so far back, it hurt.

"What are you _talking_ about?" I replied. "Shouldn't _I_ be the one asking _you_ that?"

A chuckle escaped his mouth, and he was joined by a large, orange Pokemon that looked like a mouse. Its round tummy bounced and the two yellow sacs on its cheeks discharged a light amount electricity with the laughter.

Dragonair shot in front of me, ready to attack the two should they be harmful. The man took half a step back, and began waving his hands in front of his chest.

"Whoa, whoa," he said. "No need to get aggressive."

Dragonair glanced at me, and I placed my hand on her back to agree with the man. There was no need to be aggressive. Yet.

Still covering my body as best as I could, I backed further into the water.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, skeptical.

"I was training my Raichu," he said. "The bugs here go down quick, and I can teach Raichu to knock out opponents in one hit. I started to investigate when I realized half the forest was burned down. I should be asking what _you're _doing, though. It's not every day I see a naked girl in the pond."

I blushed but was beginning to become infuriated. After thinking about it, I decided responding may get him to leave faster.

"My house is located just outside the forest, and burned with the fire. I was just trying to clean myself since I have nowhere else to go," I said as I crossed my arms in anger, and turned away.

Sticks and leaves cracked as the man sat down.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said in a much calmer voice.

His black, American army grade boots were beginning to get muddy from standing on the bank. He didn't seem to mind, though.

I slowly made my way to land, still covered, and grabbed the clothes I'd taken off. One by one, I dipped them in the water, and scrubbed them with my hands trying my best to ignore this American soldier. Dragonair tried her hardest to help and took each piece in her mouth to hang on the nearest tree to dry.

Great! I didn't think about having to wait for my clothes to dry with this creep here. Luckily Dragonair was eager to help to I wouldn't have to display myself.

"Do you think I could have a _little_ privacy?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Stay safe, kid."

He began to make his way into the unburned part of the forest, his Pokemon following closely behind. With the guy gone, I finally found a rock to sit on and relax. My thoughts soon began drifting to Giovanni, and how I needed to become a strong trainer.

"Maybe we should start doing some practicing," I said to Dragonair.

She nodded at me in agreement.

"I have an idea," I began. "Why don't you use your attacks to dry my clothes? Dragonair! Use Twister!"

Dragonair took a deep breath, and leaves around us started to blow in the wind. Increasingly, the wind got stronger and stronger until it took the shape of a miniature tornado, making its way to my hung clothes. The twister carried them onto the bank, then disappeared, dropping them.

I smiled at Dragonair. I may not be an experienced trainer, but I thought the idea was ingenious. Glancing both directions, I ran out of the water to my now dry clothes and put them on as quickly as I could. When I was all dressed, I started into the green part of the forest. The same direction as that man. He did say training was easy here.

Continuing through the forest, rustles could be heard in every direction. I chose one sound to focus my attention on and then followed it. Crawling on the ground was a small, brown worm. If I remembered correctly, it was a Weedle – Or was it a Caterpie? I'll go buy a book later to find out.

"Dragonair, see what a Thunder Wave does to it!" I commanded.

The tiny worm – Weedle or Caterpie, glanced at Dragonair realizing the attack. The tiny horn on its head produced a seemingly ineffective needle that shot into Dragonair's chest. The Thunder Wave made its way to the bug, and knocked it out instantly. I smiled.

"Good work Dragona-"

She was hurt.

The needle sticking out of her stomach had done more damage than it appeared. Even though it was small, it produced a poison that was quickly draining her energy. I rushed to her side. She needed to get to a Pokemon hospital and fast, but the days spent in the forest disoriented me. Would it be quicker to walk to Viridian City or Pewter City?

_BUZZ!_

A sound began emanating from a nearby bush. I glanced to the cluster of leaves that was shaking.

_BUZZ!_

A large bee erupted from the top of the bush and stared at me for a second before lunging with its giant needle arms. I began screaming, and covered my head with my hands… as if that would help. Concerned, Dragonair used the last of her strength to lunge on top of me, placing herself in the face of danger for me. She squealed as the drills of the bee Pokemon sliced their way into her back. The force of the bee smashed Dragonair into me and a sharp pain jolted throughout my entire body.

"Oh! Goddamn it!" a familiar voice in the distance said. "Raichu! Thunderbolt!"

"Raii…" the orange mouse yelled, as electricity was hurled from its yellow cheek sacs to the bug that was attacking Dragonair and me. The bee fell to the ground, burned to a crisp.

"See. One hit!" he exclaimed. "I thought I told you to stay safe and I find your Pokemon nearly poisoned to death trying to protect you from a Beedrill."

Ah, that bee was called Beedrill. Makes sense, I suppose.

"This is no time to lecture me," I tried to yell, though I was too fatigued to be intimidating. "I need to get Dragonair to a hospital!"

I glanced at the Pokemon, who was moaning in pain. The poor thing had cuts in her back from the Beedrill, and the poisoned needle was still sticking out of her belly. I tried to sit up and help her, but the pain in my back was too great.

The blond soldier kneeled by Dragonair, and with a swift movement pulled the needle.

"You really need to learn to treat your Pokemon if you're going to battle in the middle of the forest with a weakling like this. Do you have any antidote on you?"

I shook my head.

In synchronization, his Raichu and him both placed their hands on their hips and sighed.

"Damn it," he grunted. "I guess I have no choice but to take you and your weak excuse of a Pokemon to Pewter City."

"Hey now!" I said. "It's my fault Dragonair is so hurt. If I had an antidote she would have been able to take that Beedrill."

He shrugged, nonchalantly. "Weak Pokemon and weak trainers go hand in hand, I guess."

What a _jerk_! First he spies on me, and then he belittles me? Sure, I had a long way to go before I could prove myself to Giovanni but he could be a little nicer about it. My eyes began to tear up as the thought of Giovanni entered my head. What if I was doing this all for nothing?

"Don't be a baby," he said. "I was just teasing you. Now return your Pokemon to its pokeball so I can get you two to Pewter City."

I wiped the tears from my eyes, then reached in my purse for Dragonair's pokeball.

"Return, sweetie," I said. "Thanks for saving me."

Dragonair nodded and dissipated into a red light.

"Can you stand?" the man asked.

The pain was unbearable, but surely I could stand up and walk. As I began lifting my body off the ground, the sharp pain returned to my back, slowing my attempt.

"Forget it! I hope you're not too heavy. We're still about three miles away from Pewter and I don't need you slowing me down."

Only three miles? Had I really trekked that far into the forest in just a couple of days?

He reached his arm out to me, and I grabbed his hand. Like nothing, he lifted me onto his back and began the journey to Pewter City. Raichu took every step carefully glancing cautiously for any danger.

"You know, I never did get your name," Surge said.

"Oh," I started. "My name is Tiffany. I'm kind of new at this."

He chuckled, "I could tell. I'm Matis Surge, but most people call me Lieutenant Surge. I'm kind of _not_ new at this."

If he was joking, it was pretty lame.

Night was starting to fall, and there was a cold chill in the wind. My tank top didn't do much to block the wind and I took comfort in the warmth of this man, but wished deep inside it was Giovanni who rescued me.

"So… you're nineteen? Twenty?" He asked, "Why are you just now beginning your training?"

I winced, knowing well what effect answering this question would have on me.

"It's a bit of a sore subject…" I started, hoping he would get the hint I didn't really want to talk about it and stop me.

Of course he didn't. This man was denser than a crate of bricks.

"There's a man I love," I said, "and I need to prove myself to him." I couldn't add anymore as I started sniveling.

He slowed down and the friendly look on his face turned serious.

"You know, that's a really petty reason to raise Pokemon," he said.  
I shrugged.

"And what's your reason? Obviously you're trying to achieve world peace with a remark like _that_!" I replied.

"The accomplishment of leading a team of the most powerful beings on the planet. Ain't nothing going to knock out MY Pokemon."

So, he wasn't joking earlier. How egotistical. Three miles sure seemed like a long way considering the circumstances. I would almost choose to bear the pain of walking alone over listening to this man talk any longer.

----------------

A break in the trees finally became visible. Dragonair and I could rest soon, and Lieutenant Surge could continue doing whatever it was he was doing before. Awesome!

"Route 2 is fairly short. We're almost there." Lt. Surge announced.

He was annoying, and egotistical, but I did appreciate the gesture of carrying me all this way.

He was right, Route 2 was short, and the lights of Pewter City came closer and closer. I couldn't wait to get Dragonair healed.

The building he led us to was fairly small. Positioned above the door was a sign that read "Pokemon Center" with the top of a pokeball decorating it.

"I'm going to sit you on the ground," he began. "Then you're going to lay there while I fix your back. Got it?"

"You're going to fix my back? Why didn't you do that before?" I asked.

He grinned. "Because if I did it _there_, I wouldn't get to look like a hero in front of that sexy nurse inside."

I rolled my eyes. Men. They're such dogs.

The ground was cold, as the night had started hours ago. I felt two very warm hands get placed on my back, and slowly their pressure increased.

_POP!_

The pain quickly subsided, and I was able to stand.

"There we go. Nothing compared to the field surgeries I've done."

I smiled at Surge. He was an ass, but he did help me greatly. I took, what I thought would be my last look at him as I made my way into the Pokemon Center. Sadly, he followed.

"Hello, there," a refreshing voice from behind the counter said.

It came from a beautiful woman, whose porcelain skin was greatly complimented by her vibrant, pink hair. The hat with a cross symbol signified that she was the nurse.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked.

"My Dragonair was badly poisoned. I'm unsure of her condition as she's been in her pokeball for hours."

The nurse took Dragonair's pokeball in her delicate hand.

"This will take a couple of hours, but feel free to use one of our beds. There's a room down the hall and to the right for traveling trainers to get some rest. Expect Dragonair to be completely healthy in the morning," she said.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said to her.

As I made my way to the bedroom, a hand grabbed my elbow. A large hand that could only belong to Lt. Surge.

"Hey, kid. If you're ever in Vermilion City give me a shout," he said. "I'll be at the gym and I think you owe me." A sheepish grin sprang on his face.

"Thanks for everything," I replied and made the rest of the way to my room.

My eyes closed, and the only sound was Surge gloating to the nurse of his heroic act. I rolled my eyes, and entered a deep slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

_Dear Diary,_

_I decided I should go shopping for a few things while I was in Pewter City. I couldn't get a whole lot since a backpack is my only storage, but I did get some necessities. 1) A Change of clothes. 2) Antidote. 3) A book about Pokemon. 4) Pokemon food._

_Sadly, I spent all of my money._

_Pizza. Hamburgers. French fries. Cheese. Sushi. Chicken. I could eat it all I'm so hungry._

_Sincerely,_

_Me_

Pewter City was a new place to me. You see, I moved to Japan from America three years ago when my dad found a better job in Viridian City. I never really went too far from home because I didn't know anyone. Now, I kind of wished I had done that. At least then I might have someone to talk to.

The city was especially foreign to me today as a Pokemon contest was being held. Festivities brought in people from all the neighboring cities and even some from farther away. My nose tingled, as the smell of food swam through the streets.

"I'm so hungry, Dragonair," I complained as I handed Dragonair a few pieces of Oak's Choice Pokemon Food™. "Don't eat it all. No telling when we'll get more."

Dragonair hummed happily, then nudged a piece towards me. I took a bite of it, and held my nose as I swallowed. How could Dragonair eat this crap?

I noticed a certain figure pushing his way through a group of people. While most people were wearing their casual summer clothes to celebrate, this man was wearing what appeared to be a fine Italian suit. My heart skipped a beat knowing it had to be Giovanni.

I called Dragonair to her pokeball which I affixed to my new belt and ran as fast as I could on such a low energy level.

"Giovanni!" I yelled.

The man continued walking.

"Listen to me…" I whimpered.

Eventually, he turned around to see what all the commotion was about.

"I think you have the wrong person," a large nosed man, who in no way resembled Giovanni from the front, said.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I could have sworn you were someone else."

As I turned around, and headed back to where I was sitting, a loud groan escaped from my stomach. The man turned back around and stared at me sympathetically.

"Was that you?" he asked.

Busted.

"Yeah," I started. "I haven't really eaten lately since I spent all my money."

He chuckled a bit.

"There's all kinds of free food because of the Pokemon contest. Pewter City only has one a year, so we make a pretty big deal about it," he said and pointed at a building not too far off. "Go there and they'll fix you up."

I thanked him, then focused on the restaurant which was the source of that enchanting smell. As I ran, it seemed nothing existed but the restaurant and I.

I burst open the doors, and was greeted by a woman in her late teens.

"Will you be dining alone?" she asked.

I nodded and she began leading me to a table.

"Make that two," a voice behind me said.

I turned around to see none other than Lieutenant Surge.

"Right this way," the hostess said.

Following her, Surge and I made our way though tables upon tables, covered with a deep red cloth, and each as packed with people as the last. Really, who turns down free food?

Eventually, we were seated at one of the few remaining tables.

"I'm Candace," the hostess said, handing us our menus. "Could I start you off with drinks?"

"How about a Bud Light, sweet cheeks?" Surge asked, grinning ear to ear.

"And I'll have an iced tea, please," I said.

The woman walked off to prepare our drinks as we inspected the menus.

"I'm so hungry, I have no idea what to get!" I exclaimed.

The menu was basic- cheeseburgers, chicken planks, French fries. Bar food: things I enjoyed the most.

"So, weren't you headed back to Vermilion City?" I asked.

"Tomorrow evening. The yearly Pokemon Contest here requires all gym leaders to judge. That's why I came in the first place," he replied.

I spaced out for a moment. Did he really mean all gym leaders? Does that mean Giovanni is in this city too? For a moment, I was no longer thinking about food.

"All gym leaders?" I asked.

"Yep," Surge started. "Every last one of us. At least, in this region."

Could I really face Giovanni today? I knew I wanted to, but there's always that chance of being turned down. Did I want to hide? Or did I want to confront him?

As my mind started trailing off on Giovanni, something hit me.

"Wait!" I exclaimed. "You're a gym leader?!"

Surge started laughing.

"Of course I am. Remember when I asked you to come see me at the gym? I wasn't lying."

"I know," I said. "But asking someone to meet you at a gym doesn't automatically make you the gym leader? Don't they have custodians and other trainers and stuff?"

Candace had returned with our drinks, sitting each one before us.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked.

Without even making sure I was ready, Surge started blabbing his order. I wasn't particularly paying attention, though. My mind was on other things.

"And you, miss?"

"Oh, right," I said. "I'll have whatever he's having."

She quickly wrote down our orders, and announced she would be back momentarily.

"Hey! I have an idea!" Surge yelled. "Why don't you enter the Pokemon contest today? I bet that guy you like will be watching."

Considering all gym leaders were required to be there? I was sure of it.

"I've never done anything like that," I said. "What would I have to do?" 

My fingers started trembling. The more I thought about going on stage during such a prominent festival, the more my entire body started trembling. What were just my fingers, soon turned into my arms, then my legs, then my feet.

"It's nothing to be nervous about," he said. "You just show off your Pokemon's moves in a flattering way. Surely you'd be better than this than you are at battling."

It was a pretty good idea. Maybe Giovanni would like a girl who knows how to make her Pokemon look beautiful.

"Alright! How do I sign up?" I asked.

"After we're through eating, I'll show you."

--

After our lunch, Surge led me to the northern part of town. Stationed there, was a building with an intricate dome hall. Inside, was the same nurse who treated Dragonair.

"Hey there, Joy," Surge winked at the nurse. "This girl wants to sign up for the Pokemon contest."

She started typing things into a computer, looking at the screen with fierce dedication. Her determined face soon became happy again, and she turned to me.

"Alright, if you hand me you're Poketch, I can scan it and get you signed up," she said.

I had never heard of a Poketch before.

"I'm not entirely sure what that is," I said, embarrassed.

"You're lucky, I've got an extra I can upload your data to," she said. "Do you know where you were registered to train Pokemon at?"

I shook my head, even more embarrassed than before. There was no way for me to know if I was even registered in the first place, let alone where it was at. Would they take my Pokemon away if I wasn't registered?

"Alright, if you give me your first and last name, I should be able to figure it out," she responded.

"First name: Tiffany, Last name: Snow," I replied.

She began typing again, squinting at the screen.

"There you are. It says here you're registered with the Viridian Gym?" she said, questioning that fact.

I nodded. Giovanni must have actually registered me. Had he seriously considered the idea getting a Pokemon with me? The very idea brightened my whole outlook, and put a smile on my face.

"That can't be right!" Surge shouted.

"Sounds right to me," I said, smiling at the nurse, still high from my last train of thoughts.

She leaned down and started foraging though a box. When she was finished, she had a watch in her hand. Instead of a clock, it featured many buttons and a flip screen.

"Here's a Poketch for you. It's a little old, but it will do what you need," she said while handing me the watch. "You're contest pass is programmed into the Poketch, so just show it to the receptionist when the contest is about to begin. Good luck."

I thanked her and walked out the door. Thoughts were racing through my mind, and I couldn't even finish one without going to the next. Surge motioned for me to sit by him on the steps leading to the contest hall.

"I still don't understand why you'd be registered to a gym," Surge said. "That's usually reserved for gym leaders themselves, and a few select trainers who work at the gym. I know you're not a good enough battler for that."

"Stop! Could you please quit bashing my skill? The reason I'm registered with the Viridian City Gym is because the gym leader himself is the one that signed me up, okay?" I said, getting angry.

Surge stood up, and stared at the horizon. His fist was clenched, and his eyes narrowed.

"Giovanni?" he whispered to himself.

Did he and Giovanni know one another? I guess that would make sense, considering they're both gym leaders. Quickly, Surge's posture and attitude changed.

"I hope you're not wearing that to the contest," he joked.

Personally, I didn't find anything wrong with what I was wearing. I had bought it that very day and was quite proud of it. The white sundress stopped just above my knees, and featured a light blue contrast belt capable of holding pokeballs.

"It's the best thing I have," I replied.

He sighed. "I'll send something to your changing room. You're going to have to look your absolute best to impress the judges. Now go! You and Dragonair need to prepare."

I headed back into the contest hall, and took one last gulp before walking into my dressing room. I was supposed to impress the judges, and Giovanni would be one of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPETER FOUR**

The dressing room was much larger than I expected. Adequate space to prepare larger Pokemon for the contest, I presumed. Mirrors lined every wall, with the lights placed in just the right spot to enrich a person's appearance. On the door, a dress bag was hanging.

"So Dragonair, let's see Lt. Surge's fashion sense, hmm?" I said, unzipping the bag, expecting something ridiculous.

To my surprise, the blue dress was actually lovely. I pulled it off the hanger, and quickly tried getting to it. The dress temporarily got stuck on my torso, but I was able to force it up.

The form fitting top was strapless and silk draped from the waist down to just below my knees. I was in awe at myself. Dragonair looked at me and smiled. She was eager to get out on the stage and perform. I was too, but for another reason. Not only would Giovanni be judging the competition, but he would be seeing me looking good. I briefly fantasized about his reaction, then recollected my thoughts to focus on the contest. As each second passed, my heart pounded harder and harder and I knew I had to get this over with soon. The fact Dragonair and I hadn't practiced at all made me even more nervous since I was well aware most everyone else has trained scrupulously.

There was a knock on the door.

"Fifteen minutes until the contest starts," said the voice on the other side. "Please, finish your preparation as soon as you can."

"I'll be right out," I yelled, making sure she could hear me.

"Dragonair, you ready?" I asked, completing the final touches of my hair.

"Draaa!" She shrieked excitedly.

Backstage, dozens of coordinators waited for the event to begin. The sound of them all talking at once made me uncomfortable, but it was something easy to ignore considering the many other things my mind was focusing on. I found a sofa aligning the wall and took a seat. Another coordinator quickly sat next to me, and began talking. She was a younger girl, probably in her early teens. Her bright, blue eyes didn't seem to move from my face while she was speaking to me.

"I haven't seen you at a contest before," she said. "My name is Kayla, and this is Sunny my Budew."

She motioned to a small, green Pokemon.

"I'm Tiffany," I said, smiling at her "and this is Dragonair."

She stared at my Pokemon, taking in every single detail.

"Your Dragonair has a lovely blue gem on its neck," she said. "That color blue indicates she comes from the purest of water. Where did you catch it?"

"I didn't catch it," I said hesitantly. "She belonged to one of my parents."

It made me sad not knowing where my only Pokemon came from. I wasn't even sure she was my parent's, it was just an assumption I made since she was in my house. Kayla could sense my sadness and got uncomfortable.

"Well, good luck at your first contest. I'm sure you'll do great with such a beautiful Pokemon," she stuttered, frantically getting up to walk to the contest entrance.

"All contestants, please line up in alphabetical order by last name," a man said, pushing people into the line. He was obviously in a rush.

One by one, every coordinator got into formation. I was relieved to be towards the end. Since most everyone would be going before me, I had more time to think about my performance, and I could see what _they _were doing first.

The TVs turned on, and the contest began.

"Welcome everyone, to Pewter City's Annual Pokemon Contest!" The voice inside the television said, backed up by the screaming of fans. "Our contestants are ready to show you the absolute best in Pokemon beauty and care. But first, let me introduce the judges."

The first judge was a younger guy with dark, spiky hair. He seemed really excited to be there.

"First up, from Pewter City itself, if Brock!" The announcer said.

"Our next judge, from Cerulean City, is Misty!" He continued, as the camera panned to a girl with red hair pulled into a side pony-tail. Misty smiled bashfully, and waved at the camera.

"From Vermilion City, Lt. Surge!" He announced, as Surge appeared on the screen. One by one, each gym leader made an appearance.

"From Celadon City, Erika! From Fuchsia City, Janine! From Saffron City, Sabrina! From Cinnabar Island, Blaine!"

That was seven out of eight gym leaders in the region. I knew Giovanni had to be last, but it seemed like an eternity before they showed him on the screen. At least, what was supposed to be him.

"From Viridian City, Giovanni!" the announcer stated. But he was wrong.

In place of Giovanni was an average looking man, with sharp green eyes. He was wearing a similar suit that Giovanni would, but managed to not look nearly as dashing. I was disappointed, but hoped Giovanni was watching, or better yet, was actually there. Subconsciously, I ran my fingers through my hair to fix any imperfection. Giovanni could be anywhere, after all.

"Alright, everyone! Who's ready for some Pokemon?!" The announcer cheered, causing the audience to scream in excitement. "Then how about we start with our first contestant, Andrew?!"

A boy walked onto the stage, with a green bug Pokemon. It had a small body, with an enlarged abdomen, and in place of its hands were large blades. According to my book, it was called Scyther.

"Scyther, let's start this off right! Use Silver Wind!" Andrew commanded.

Scyther smirked at its trainer then jumped into the air, flapping its wings vigorously. From them, came silver crescents that dissolved into nothing but sparkles. I started taking notes in my head.

"Alright, now Slash!"

Scyther began flying through the silver powder, slashing random places to throw the glitter around. Eventually he created a pattern of stars with the powder. The entire crowd was astonished, and displayed it with "ooh"s and "aah"s. The excitement didn't cease when the silver powder finally fell to the ground.

The judges took time to write down their scores, then the next contestant came out. And older man with Nidoking. I stopped paying attention to the television and pulled a receipt from my pocket, glancing around for a pen.

"I could make her dance to a ballet song," I started thinking while doodling on the receipt. "But what attacks would I incorporate into that?"

The receipt became fuller and fuller as I sketched out my ideas. Each attack she knew was drawn on that paper. Thunder Wave, Twister, and Ice Beam were all I've seen.

"I think I've got it Dragonair," I said as the announcer tapped my shoulder to signify my turn.

The stage was much more daunting than I imagined and the screaming crowd didn't help my uncertainty. I took a huge gulp, glanced around for Giovanni, then faked a smile to hide my apprehension.

I waved at the crowd, as Dragonair jumped up and they cheered even louder.

"Coming all the way from the United States, and currently residing in Viridian City is Tiffany and her Dragonair!" the announcer yelled.

"Alright, Dragonair, start things with an Ice Beam," I commanded.

As quickly as I had said anything Dragonair created a pillar of ice at least fifty feet tall. She wrapped herself around the bottom, and began slowly slithering to the top.

"When you reach the top, use Thunder Wave," I yelled to her.

Dragonair's horn began glowing yellow, and started sparking. The spark quickly grew larger until the entire pillar of ice was pulsating with lightning. I relaxed for a second, enjoying Dragonair's creation.

"What an electric spire!" Blaine said over the loudspeaker while the judges elaborated.

"It looks like we've chosen the four to move on," the announcer said "Kayla and Budew, Andrew and Scyther, Felicia and Lopunny, and Tiffany and Dragonair."

I jumped up in excitement and gave Dragonair a hug. My heart pounded knowing Giovanni was proud if he was watching. He had to be, right?

"Please prepare your Pokemon for battle," the announcer instructed. The next round begins in fifteen minutes.

Battles? We have to battle in a _beauty_ contest?

"Not bad for a first try," Kayla said to me.

"Thanks," I replied, biting my fingers.

I was dreading these next fifteen minutes to pass. If Giovanni _was_ watching this, I _had_ to do my best.


End file.
